Variable capacity record binder



Feb. 12, 1935 Q GE 1,990,965

VARIABLE CAPACITY RECORD BINDER Filed C613. 29, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet I I N V EN TOR.

PAUL O. UNGEI? A TTORNE Y.

5 Sheets-Sheet? Feb. 12, 1935. I P. o. UNGER VARIABLE CAPACITY RECORD BiNDER Filed Oct. 29, 1952 Feb. 12, 1935. P. o. UNGER 1,990,965

VARIABLE CAPACITY RECORD BINDER Filed Oct. 29, 1932 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. PAUL O. UNGEQ A TTORNE Y.

Patented Feb. 12, 1935 PATENT OFFICE VARIABLE CAPACITY RECORD BINDER Paul O. Unger, Glen Ellyn, 111., assignor to Wilson- Jones Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 29, 1932, Serial No. 640,136 13 Claims. (Cl. 129-1) This invention relates to a loose leaf binder of the record book type thatmay be expanded to vary the capacity of the binder.

Heretofore record binders have been made with certain fixed capacities. Such fixed capacity binders often prove to be unsatisfactory because a slight increase in the thickness of sheets will make it impossible to insert the required number of sheets in the binder. If the sheets are slightly thinner than those for which the binder is designed, the specified number of sheets will not completely fill the binder.

Another obvious disadvantage of a fixed capacity record binder is the possibility that the records for any particular year may vary considerably from the estimates in accordance with which the record binders were ordered. In practically all governmental agencies recording vital statistics, it is required to keep the records for each year separate. Accordingly, if certain records surpass the estimates for that year, it is necessary to buy additional record binders.

It is an object of this invention to provide a record binder of variable capacity. It is a further object of this invention to provide a variable capacity record binder in which each end may be compressed independently of the other and in which the back is always centered regardless of the relative positions of the ends. It is a further 30 object of this invention to provide a record binder in which the entire contents may be readily removed from the binder and handled without difficulty. It is a further object of this invention to provide a variable capacity record binder having means to lock the binder permanently when it is filled so that nobody can tamper with the contents of the binder without leaving evidence of such tampering. Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a binder embodying my invention;

45 I Figure 2 is a plan view of the back with portions broken away to facilitate the illustration;

Figure3 is an end elevation of the binder with portions broken away to facilitate the illustration; r a

Figure 4 is, a fragmentary plan view of the back with portions broken away to show the permanent locking means in position;

V Figure 5 is a cross section taken along the line V-V of Figure 4; 56 Z Figure 6 is a side elevation of Figure 5-; V

'pearance. The outer plate may be suitably decorated or covered with binding material of Figure 'I is a perspective view of the post-carrying bar;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the lock bar; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one type of locking pin. I

In the drawings the reference numerals 2 and 3 refer to a pair of back sections movable transversely relative to each other. The ends of the section 2 are bent over to form the channels 4 and 5 adapted to guide the section 3 in its transverse movement. The channel member 4 is provided with an'aperture 6, and the channel member 5 is provided with a similar aperture '7, for a purpose hereinafter described. The back section 3 is provided adjacent each end with a series of projections 8. V H

A look bar 9 has its ends positioned within the channel members 4 and 5 and is provided with ears-10 and 11 adapted to project through the apertures 6 and 7, respectively. The car 10 has a portion bent over parallel to the body of the lock bar, as indicated at'12. The lock bar 9 is provided adjacent each end with a series of projections 13 adapted to cooperate with the projections 8 to retain the back sections in any desired position.

A lever 14 pivoted to the channel member 4 by means of a rivet 15 is provided with ,a slot 16 through which the ear 10 projects. a) The turned over portion 12 prevents the separation of the ear and lever. The leverhas its free end bent to form a finger piece 17. The lock bar 9 may be moved longitudinally into and out of locking position by manipulation of the lever 14. The lock bar is notched, as indicated at 18, to allow sufiicient clearance for the lock bar to be moved out of locking position, without binding against the rivet 15. V v

The binder is provided with an outer back plate 19 which includes an outer round metal plate 20 and an inner plate 21 welded or riveted together.

The end of the plate 20 is bent up, as indicated at 22, to give the end ofthe binder a finishedapany desired kind; The plate 21 is provided with a central depressed portion 23 extending longitudinally of the binder. A pairof short aligned slots 24 and 25 are positioned adjacent opposite 5 ends of the depressed portion of the plate.

Toggle links 26, 27, 28 and 29, respectively, are pivotally secured to opposite ends of the back sections 2 and 3, as indicated at 30, 31, 32 and 33. The inner ends of the toggle links 26 and 28 are be compressed independently of the other, and.

the outer back plate will always remainproperly centered.

The outer edges of the back' sections 24nd '3 are bent up at right-angles tolformsflanges 36.

and 37, respectively. Filler strips 38 and. 39, respectively, are placed in juxtaposition to the flanges 36 and 37 and inverte'd'U-shaped mem bers 40 and 41 each embrace one fiangea'n'd its juxtaposed filler strip. Each group of three members is welded "to form a unitary structure.

The outer edges of the U-shaped members-4'0 and ilfh'ave curved ears, as indic'ated at 42 and 43 respectively, to form parts of hinges for hinging the cover members "44 and -45'to the binder. A metal plate 46 (Figure 5) embedded 'ineach cover has its Treeedge-providedwith curved ears, asindicate'd at 4'7, to 'comp'lete thehinge barrels. The hingepintles 48'h'ave*their*ends covered with caps '49. Thecaps 49am of comparatively soft material and are largerin outside diameter than the'hinge barrel to protect the finish of the desk or other'articleof furniture-on'which the binder may be bandied.

'Each of thetwouriitsxorhprising the members 36,38-and '40 in oneinstance'and 3'7, 3'9 and 41 in the other, is provided with a plurality'of'aperturesr50 "adapte'd 'to receive short posts 51 extending from-'one'wail-of apost-carrying bar 52. The bar .52 isU-sha'ped' in cross section and has a;p1urality*of apertures 53 through its closed edge. A tpluraiity of sheet-retaining'posts '54 have joneend bent at right angles andextending into the apertures "'53 and betweentl're walls of the bar '52. The shortp'osts 51 extend through both "walls of theba'r 52*and-the ends of posts 54 to secure the posts 51 the bar 52 and the sheet-retaining posts together in one rigid unit. The posts '54 on} the bar 52 are staggered with respect to the posts54 on thebar adapted to be positioned on the other side of the binder to avoid mutualinter'ference -of'the two sets of posts. in Figure 7, are or double thickness. "Doubling the material'also' has the advantage of insuring perfectly s'mooth edges 'for the post without necessitating expensive finishing operations.

As shown'in Figures-4, 5, -6 and-'9,-th'e record binder may be locked permanently'against -ex-' pansion when 'it is filledandit is no longer necessary to insertpr removesheets. Theimembers 36, 38 "and 40 are provided with an aperture "55 adjacent the *top edge "of the binder. "Ihe apertune 55 is adapted to receive a locking 'pin the "end 157 are 'sufliciently resilient to 1 enter the aperture as and the pin'cannot be removed'there- Iturned to prevent-'the lock-ing pin 556 from .being driven past the Y ear 1 1. 1x1 addition to preventing inng'itudinalunovementof the dock 'bar The sheet retaining posts 54, as shown 7 the apertures 50, the lock bar 9 is moved from theposition shown in Figure 1 to locking position shown inFigure 2 and the back sections 2,

and 3 are compressed. When it is desired to in- :sert or remove a sheet, the finger piece 1'7 is manipulated .to :move the lock bar 9 to disengage. the projections 8 and 13. The top cover isth'en moved to free'the post carrying bar 52. If desired,'the sheets may be retained between the two bars 52 and transferred from one binder to another. 1 I

' Itwill be-seen that-I havedevised a strong and durable record binder --in=-which'the sheets may be held under temporarycompression when the binder contains current-recordsand under permanent compression atter it-is no longer necessary to insert or :remove sheets 1mm 7 the binder. The locking pin whichconstitutes the permanent lock does not interfere with subsequent addi-' tional compression "so that if the "records are wrinkled, as in the case or iphotostatic records, the binder may be permanentlylocked with the sheets under whatever compression is attainable at that time. :the-sheets beco'me fiaft'temed,

the compression imay be maintained :by .rorcing the back sections together 'to as great-an extent as possible. a

It is advantageous ttozkeeprtheisheetsin a record binder under eompressi'on-bec'ause then 'when the sheets in 'tthe "binder are handled, :uie wear is not on the portions :or the sheets adjacent the holes, as in previous rrecordbinders, but is on the 'imperfora'te area ;.of the .paper adjacent the hinge. This increases the life of the individual sheets considerably.

Another advantage of keeping the sheets always under compression is "that 2 it makes it im-' possible ftor anyone to surreptitiously remove :an entire "sheet from :the "binder; The; stub of any sheet'torn or cut out of the binder always re.- mains as visible evidence of the tampering.

While I .have described .a -preferred embodiment of my inventi'on detail, vit willbe understood that the de'scription'thereof .is illustrative rather than restrictive, as many-details may be modified or changed without :departing :from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, -I do :not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described except as limited by the --appended :cla-ims'.

Iclaim: I V 1. Ina loose leaf .binder, removable sheetretaining .means comprising a bar :U-shaped .in cross section provided with an aperture through its closed edge, :a sheet retaining post having an end portion extendingwivthin said .bar through said aperture, and means for securing said end portion to said bar, said securing means projecting beyond said bar to cooperate. with. said binder to removably secure said sheet 'retain'ing'means in said binder. r 1

2. In a loose leaf binderremovablesheet retaining means comprisinga bar, a sheet-retaining post, and means for securing saidpostto said bar, said securing "means passing-through said 7 bar and post and projecting therebeyond to cooperate with said binder to removably secure said sheet-retaining means in said binder.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of back sections, the ends of one of said back sections being provided with channels in which said other back section may slide, a lock bar having its ends disposed in said channels, and means pivoted on one of said channel members for moving said lock bar into and out of locking position.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of back sections, the ends or" one of said back sections being bent to form channels in which said other back section may slide, each of said channel members being provided with an aperture in its upper surface, a lock bar having its ends disposed in said channels and having ears extending through said apertures to retain said bar in position in said binder, and means engaging one of said ears for moving said bar into and out of locking position.

5. In a record binder, a pair of back sections, a pair of channel members on the ends of one of said back sections in which said other back section is adapted to move transversely relatively to said first mentioned back section, a lock bar, cooperating means on said lock bar and said second mentioned back section to temporarily prevent relative outward movement of said back sections, and means to permanently prevent such movement.

6. In a record binder, a pair of back sections capable of relative transverse movement, a lock bar slidable longitudinally of said back sections, cooperating means on said lock bar and one of said back sections to temporarily prevent relative outward movement of said back sections, and means to permanently prevent such movement.

'7. In a record binder, a pair of back sections capable of relative transverse movement, a plurality of projections on one of said back sections, a lock bar, a projection on said lock bar, means to slide said lock bar longitudinally relative to said one back section to move said projections into and out of locking engagement, and means to permanently prevent said longitudinal movement.

8. In a record binder, a pair of back sections, the ends of one of said back sections being provided with channels in which said other back section may slide, each of said channel members being provided with an aperture in its upper surface, a lock bar having its ends disposed in said channels and having ears extending through said apertures to retain said bar in position in said binder, means engaging one of said ears for moving said bar into and out of locking position, and means insertable between one of said ears and the end wall of its associated channel member to permanently prevent movement of said lock bar out of locking position.

9. In a record binder, a pair of back sections movable transversely relative to each other, a pair of apertured flanges extending along opposite longitudinal edges of said back sections, a pair of post-carrying bars, each of said bars-being provided with short posts to fit in the apertures in said flanges and with sheet-retaining posts adapted to hold a plurality of sheets within said binder, a lock bar adapted to cooperate with said back sections to retain said post-carrying bars in said binder, and means to permanently prevent movement of said lock bar to unlocked position.

10. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of back sections normally capable of relative transverse movement, a lock bar associated with said back sections, said lock bar'being movable longitudinally into and out of locking engagement, a flange on one end of said lock bar, a flange on one of said back sections adapted to cooperate with said first mentioned flange to limit the longitudinal movement of said lock bar, and non-removable means insertable between said flanges to prevent longitudinal movement of said lock bar.

11. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of back sections normally capable of relative transverse movement, a lock bar associated with said back sections, and a non-removable pin insertable between portions of said lock bar and one of said back sections to permanently prevent transverse separation of said back sections.

12. In a loose leaf binder, removable sheet retaining means including a double walled bar, a sheet retaining post having an end portion positioned between the walls of said bar, and means passing through said walls and said post to secure said post to said bar.

13. In a loose leaf binder, removable sheet retaining means including a bar U-shaped in cross section provided with an aperture through its closed edge, a sheet retaining post having an end portion extending within said bar through said aperture, and means passing through said bar and said post to secure said post to said bar.

PAUL O. UNGER. 

